When Reality Calls
by A Writer of Fact and Fiction
Summary: Two actresses in a new Sera Myu stage production awaken one morning to find their lives and identities have taken a bizarre turn, as they have seemingly become the characters they perform.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

As the curtain fell for the last time that evening, Sailor Moon with Tuxedo Kamen by her side bowed deeply as the audience gave them a last long round of applause. The other four Senshi on stage bowed as well, the actress who had played Mars giving her close friend a big grin and a 'thumbs up' as the curtain reached the floor. The girls broke from their positions and Miyamoto Akako, no longer as Sailor Mars, gave her friend a quick hug. "You were great tonight!" she exclaimed as the others began heading backstage.

"You really think so?" Miyako Ayame asked. "My foot slipped in that last act when I went into my Sailor Moon attack pose."

"I don't think anyone noticed" Akako reassured her.

The actor playing Tuxedo Kamen agreed. "You recovered really well, Ayame-san."

"Thank you Takumi-san. You both have more stage experience than me, I guess my nervousness shows sometimes." Ayame chuckled, "I'm starting to get as clumsy as Usagi!"

The group chatted among themselves as they began the process of changing back into their street clothes. The actress who had played Venus quickly scanned the room and raised her voice, "Anyone for karaoke tonight?"

"Not me" Ayame replied without looking up. "I'm really tired. Just want to go home and sleep!"

Ninety minutes later, Ayame said goodnight to her mother, set the alarm for morning classes and settled her short black hair into the down-filled pillow. As was her habit, she began replaying the evening's performance in her mind until fatigue finally caught up to the fifteen-year-old and she drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

What seemed like only the briefest of moments later, the familiar jarring beep of her alarm ceased the girl's slumber. Soft, pastel light of early morning Tokyo began to brighten her room.

Still feeling tired, she raised her head just enough to spy the numbers on the bedside annoyance before collapsing back. 'Six-forty-five' announced the LCD digits. Allowing herself one more moment of luxury back on the pillow, she sighed, 'Ok, may as well get started.' She sat up slowly in the dim light, rubbing sleep from her eyes as a yet-unnoticed reflection mirrored her movements from a vanity mirror across the room. Low voices began to carry in from somewhere behind her door. A woman asked a question that she couldn't quite make out, followed by a reply in the voice of a young boy. Having no brothers, Ayame was puzzled by the sound of a young male in the house. One last blink to help focus her eyes and she finally looked at herself in the mirror.

The girl that looked back was about the same age, but incredibly long blond hair streamed down from twin odango, disappearing out of sight behind wrinkled sheets. Ayame stared at the stranger for a moment, shaking her head to try to wake from what had to be a dream. In the mirror, the blonde's tresses swayed back in exact rhythm. Her fingers reached for the golden strands, thinking her parents had played a trick on her while she slept, only to find it wasn't a Sera Myu wig after all. The hair was real.

She sat speechless, staring at the reflection when a knock sounded on her bedroom door. It was followed by that unfamiliar female voice again, this time addressed to her.

"Usagi-chan! Time to get up!" Footsteps receded down a hallway as the owner of the voice hurried away.

"What is happening to me? I must still be asleep!" She spoke aloud, her mind awash in confusion.

She swung her feet over the edge of her bed and tried to collect her thoughts. 'If it is a dream, it's certainly realistic!' Even her pajamas had changed, the plain design of the night before now replaced by bright pink and covered in cute rabbit faces. Opening her door, she peered cautiously into the hallway. No one was visible, though the strange boy's voice could still be heard from downstairs. Not knowing what else to do, after a quick wash she changed into her school uniform and went down for breakfast.

The strange woman greeted her with a smile as she walked woodenly toward the table. "Good morning, sleepy head." The woman added, "Your father has already left for work. And your breakfast is waiting."

A young boy also sat across the table. He looked at her with disdain. "Waiting as usual, Usagi-chan. Probably cold by now." He then proceeded to ignore her and tucked back into his food.

"Shingo-chan! Be nice to your older sister" the woman scolded him and he mumbled in reply.

"What is happening-" Ayame began to ask but the woman hurried away to answer a ringing telephone. She listened in stunned silence to the conversation in the next room.

"Moshi moshi." A short pause, then "Good morning Rei-chan! Usagi is having breakfast, I'll get her for you." The woman's head appeared around the corner. "Rei-chan is on the phone for you, Usagi-chan."

Still numb, Ayame got up and went to the phone. Strangely, it was in a different place than the phone in her home. She picked up the handset, not knowing what to say.

"Uh, hello?"

"Ayame-chan!" a voice hissed softly.

"Akako-chan! Thank heavens for a familiar voice! You're in my dream too?"

"Listen, is anything different about you, or anything strange going on at your home this morning?"

Ayame kept her voice low. "You would not believe what's happening here!"

"Oh yes I would. For your information, I'm calling from the Hikawa Shrine."

"The shrine? What on earth are you doing there at this hour?" Her feeling of unease deepened still further as she heard the unbelievable reply.

"What am I doing here? _I woke up here!_"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"This can't be happening! _Can it?_"

"I don't know. But" Akako continued, "there's an old Shinto priest here, just like in the Sailor Moon anime. He's convinced I'm his granddaughter Rei. At least that's what he calls me."

"Akako-chan, has your hair changed too? I woke up with Usagi's hair style, odango and everything."

"You mean really long straight black hair, like Rei has? It was the first thing I noticed when I woke up. Ayame-chan, I don't think this is a dream. It's just too real."

"It has to be. Look, let's just play along for now. Either we'll wake up soon, or..."

"Or what?"

"Or... something really strange happened to us. We somehow became the characters we were in the musical."

"I can't believe that! It's impossible!"

Usagi's mother called from the kitchen, "Usagi-chan, don't be too long on the phone. You'll be late for school."

Deciding the best thing for now was to just go along with the situation, Ayame replied, "Yes Mama. I'm almost done." She spoke quickly into the phone, "Let's meet after school, I'll come over to the shrine and we'll decide on our next move. Ok?"

"I'll see you then. And, Ayame-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck." The line went dead and Ayame reluctantly hung up the handset. Finding her book bag near the door, she yelled "I'm leaving now, Mama. I'll be going to Rei's shrine after class for a little while."

"Have a good day at school honey. Do your best on your math test today."

_'Math test? What math test?'_

_. . . . ._

The school was just as she remembered it from the anime, down to the name and number above the main door. She hesitated outside for a moment, unsure if she should keep playing along with what was becoming a nightmare. 'If only I could snap out of this! This dream is really creepy!'

Footsteps approached from behind, then a soft voice greeted her. "Ohayou Usagi-chan. You're early today!"

She turned around, somehow knowing who that voice had to belong to. She forced a smile. "Good morning, Ami-chan."

The studious blue-haired girl smiled back and asked, "Did you study extra hard for your math test?"

"Uh, yeah. I did. I hope I can pass this one."

"Do your best. We should go in now, it's almost time."

. . . . .

After classes...

Ayame slowly trudged up the steps leading to the Hikawa Jinja after what had been the worst school day of her life. Even the math test had been a disaster. Haruna-sensei had returned the results during last period with a frown of disapproval. "Usagi-chan, you must try harder. I'm disappointed in you." The mark at the top of the paper was the worst Ayame had ever received, not even a passing grade.

She spotted a girl she assumed was Akako standing beneath a torii gate. Dressed in miko robes with broom in hand as she swept the walkway, her appearance would have easily made her the most realistic Hino Rei actress in the history of Sera Myu performances. 'She really does look just like Rei!' Ayame mused, smiling for the first time in hours.

Akako stopped sweeping and stared as her friend walked over. "Ayame-chan? Is that you?"

"It's me." She ran her fingers through one of the long blonde streams cascading from an odango. "Do you like my hair style?"

"It's.. it's perfect! I mean, you look just like Tsukino Usagi in real life!"

"I think I'm starting to become more like her too. I failed a math test today. Mama is going to kill me." She shook her head, realizing what she had just said. "I mean, my mother _here_. Wherever we are."

The sound of a door sliding open caught the girls attention as an older teenage boy emerged from the shrine. He waved at the girls before hurrying around a corner. Ayame waved back. "Is that who I think it is?"

Akako nodded. "Yes, that's Yuuichirou-chan. He's really very sweet."

"You seem to be adapting to your role here very well, Akako-chan." Ayame grinned. "Oh, I almost forgot. You're going to have another visitor soon. Apparently we're supposed to be having a study session."

"You don't mean-"

Ayame nodded. "None other than the brilliant Mizuno Ami herself. I met her this morning but managed to avoid her during lunch. She's Usagi's close friend, what if she asks me something about Usagi's past or the Sailor Senshi that I can't answer?"

"That's true, but we have an even bigger problem."

"What could possibly make things more complicated than they already are?"

Akako's worried expression was plain to see. "Someone forgot their newspaper on the shrine steps earlier. I had the chance to skim through it."

"And?"

"There was an article on the front page, talking about how the mysterious Sailor Senshi defeated another youma attack two days ago. If the Dark Kingdom does exist here, and their youma attack again..." She let her words trail off, seeing the realization and horror in her friend's face.

"Then we're supposed to transform into Sailor Senshi and destroy them. _We can't do that! We're just actresses!"_ Ayame touched the brooch pinned to the center of her school uniform bow.

Akako sighed. "Who knows. Maybe we can transform into Senshi. If we can't, then I guess we're in big trouble."

Ayame's lip quivered. "I'm sick of this! I'm _so sick_ of this nightmare! I just want to go home!" She began to sob, tears beginning to run down her cheek.

The words burst from Akako's mouth like a strangely familiar reflex. "Pull yourself together, Usagi-chan! We'll get through this somehow." Realizing what she had just said, she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Ayame-chan. I don't know why I called you that."

"That's ok. I'll be fine." She quickly recomposed herself and wiped away the tears. "You're right. We'll think of a way out of this. Well, how about you show me around inside before Ami gets here? I should at least know where the bathroom is." As an afterthought, she added, "Do you have anything to eat? Just a snack would be fine. I'm starving!"

Akako laughed as she gestured toward the shrine with a wave of her hand. "Right this way, Usagi-chan."

"You said that on purpose!"

"Yes" Akako grinned. "Yes I did."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The girls took seats at the low rectangular table with Akako as host at one end. She had managed to find some juice and a tray with half a dozen small daifukumochi cakes, and laughed out loud as her friend finished off the first one in record time. Immediately she reached for another.

"I don't know why-" Ayame said between bites, "I feel so hungry, because-" she took another bite, "Mama made me a really nice lunch for school. But these-" she finished the second bean-filled rice cake, "-are so delicious!"

"You're going to put on weight if you keep eating like that. And don't forget, we have to stay in character when we're around other people" Akako reminded the hungry blonde. "Especially around Mizuno-chan."

Ayame nodded, long twin golden streams bobbing. "This may be the performance of a lifetime for both of us." She immediately hushed as the room door slid open and Ami walked in carrying her book bag. After greeting her friends, she took a seat across the table from Ayame. Wasting no time, a thick textbook appeared from within the bag and was quickly opened to a bookmarked page.

Akako gestured toward the cakes, just as Ayame began reaching out for another. "Would you like one, Ami-chan? Before Usagi-chan eats them all."

Ayame's hand hovered above a pink cake. "This is only my _third_, I'll have you know!" she replied with genuine indignation.

"Thank you, Rei-chan." Ami said. "Perhaps a little later. If... there are any left." The trace of a smile appeared on Ami's lips.

Ayame found herself glaring at both girls. "Ok! I can take a hint!" She withdrew her empty hand from the tray but still eyed the snacks longingly.

"Usagi-chan, how was your math test today?" Ami inquired. "I hope the practice questions we worked on helped."

"Uh... well I..." Without another word, Ayame slipped the test paper from her book bag and dropped it onto the table. She was embarrassed to have failed, more so after supposedly being tutored by the brightest middle-school student in all of Japan.

Ami scanned the sheet, trying to put a positive spin on the result. "Well, at least it's an improvement since your last test. You only failed by four percent this time."

Despite it being only her second meeting with Mizuno Ami, Ayame felt a strong liking toward the quiet, friendly girl and felt as though she somehow knew her so much better than she should have. 'It must be all the Sailor Moon manga and anime character profiles I memorized before performing in the musicals' she reasoned. The next few minutes passed quietly as they studied and Ami became more focused on her work. 'Maybe this pretending won't be so hard after all' both actresses thought hopefully.

Akako glanced sharply toward the entrance as Yuuichirou's voice carried from the hallway beyond. "Hi, Makoto-chan. Everyone's already inside."

An unfamiliar reply, "Thank you, Yuuichirou-chan" followed, in a slightly deeper tone than that of the other girls. Akako shot Ayame a panicked look as the door slid open once more and Kino Makoto strode into the room. "Minna, konnichiwa!" Akako tried not to stare as the taller girl joined the others at the table. Like Ami, Makoto looked as though she had walked right out of the anime, her brown hair held up in a ponytail with a tie ending in two familiar green balls. She sighed with relief, "I'm glad that's over."

Ayame asked, "Glad what's over, Mako-chan?"

"Did you forget, Usagi-chan? I had to meet with the lawyer regarding my trust fund. That's why I wasn't at school today."

"Oh. Right." Ayame smiled weakly as she mentally kicked herself for the slip.

"Did everything go well?" Ami asked.

"Everything's fine, Ami-chan. It was mostly about signing some new papers and stuff. Say, did you learn anything more about the Dark Kingdom's last attack?"

Ami produced a small, almost jewel-like device from her book bag and flipped it open, the symbol of Mercury embossed in gold upon its lid. She pressed several buttons, frowning as she looked up from its screen. "Not a lot, unfortunately. There is one interesting thing, however." Her gaze returned to the device for a moment. "The strange purple cloud emitted by that last youma had some very unusual characteristics. But I haven't yet been able to identify its composition, or what it was capable of doing."

"Keep at it" Makoto urged her brilliant friend. "If anyone can figure out what the Dark Kingdom is up to, it'll be our Sailor Mercury." Ami blushed at the compliment.

The girls attention returned to their lessons, though Ayame's mind was nowhere near the material in her book. 'That may be it!' she thought. 'The Dark Kingdom youma tried to alter reality somehow, and it brought Akako and me here. If I'm right, we really are in deep trouble!'

Makoto abruptly pushed her book away and leaned back, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Enough of this study business for now. Let's talk about boys instead! I saw a really cute guy outside the lawyer's office today."

"So did you talk to him?" Akako asked.

"No" Makoto replied wistfully. "There was another girl with him. But I can always dream!"

Ayame had a moment of panic as she scrambled to remember how Usagi was supposed to feel about Mamoru at this stage in their lives. She decided not to mention him at all and instead turned to the blue-haired girl beside her. "So Ami-chan, do you have a special someone in your heart?"

Ami looked down to conceal a blush, but not fast enough to hide it from Makoto. "Don't deny it, Ami-chan! I caught you peeking at that new boy in your class during lunch breaks."

"It's... it's not that, Mako-chan!" Ami protested. "Urawa-chan is very smart and quite shy."

"Uh-huh" Makoto grinned. "Sounds familiar! So, you only like him for his mind?"

"No! I mean... _oh!_" Embarrassed, Ami hid her face in her hands.

Akako decided to have a little fun with her new friend. "Sounds like our sweet little Ami-chan has a crush on him!"

Ayame nodded rapidly while continuing her best Usagi impersonation. "Hai!" She leaned toward the red-faced girl. "I think he really likes you, Ami-chan."

"Please, Usagi-chan! This is personal! Please, let's just study." Ami picked up her textbook and held it in front of her face as a shield.

The other girls smiled at one another and returned to their books, deciding they had teased their friend enough for one day. Ayame tried to push the absurdity of the situation from her mind and focused on reading a chapter for her next history class. She toyed with a pencil as she read and began unconsciously tapping the end of it against the table. Akako slowly raised her eyes from the page, glaring at the blonde. Oblivious to what she was doing, Ayame continued the rhythmic tapping.

Finally Akako spoke, her voice soft and sweet at the start. "Oh, Usagi-chan?"

"Yes, Rei-chan?"

"Would you mind _stopping that stupid noise!_"

. . . . .

A short while later with dinner time nearing, the girls finished their study session and began to go their separate ways. After saying goodbye to Ami and Makoto at the shrine steps, Ayame hesitated until they walked out of sight and she could talk to Akako privately. "Well _that_ was stressful!"

"I think we did ok, but we can't keep living like this much longer. It's only a matter of time before the others discover we're not who they think we are."

"And what do we do if a youma attacks? We're just ordinary teenage girls, not Sailor Senshi! Rei-chan, I'm scared."

"You don't have to call me that now, no one is listening."

"Sorry, Rei- Uh, I mean Akako-chan." Ayame was puzzled. "That's strange. For a moment there, I forgot your real name."

"You know, maybe we _should_ always use the other names from now on. At least until we find a way out of this mess."

An old man's bald head appeared from a doorway further back along one side of the shrine. "Rei-chan, we need your help in the kitchen."

"I'll be right there, Ojiisan." Akako replied. She whispered to Ayame, "I have to go. Phone me later tonight." With a swirl of her long red miko skirt, she turned and hurried into the building.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Late afternoon traffic on the streets of Azabu-Juuban had begun to thin as Ayame walked toward what had reluctantly become her new home. Thinking back on what normal life had been like before she and Akako had awakened in this living nightmare, she was dismayed to find that memories of her past and her real parents were becoming increasingly hard to recall. Ayame tried to picture her mother, only to have the face of Usagi's mother appear in her mind. Lost in thought, she sighed as her feet turned the final corner that lead onto her street.

She watched the gray concrete of the sidewalk pass beneath her shoes. '_No,_' she corrected herself, 'these are Tsukino Usagi's shoes, not mine. I don't belong here.'

Up ahead, another pedestrian approached but she paid no attention to him until her book bag carelessly swung out, striking him in the leg. It slipped from her grasp and popped open as it struck the ground, spilling books and papers onto the walkway.

"Hey, odango atama! You should pay more attention to where you're going" a male voice admonished.

"Gomen nasai!" Ayame blurted out an apology only to find a teenage boy, several years her senior, looking down at her.

"You really are clumsy, Usagi-chan."

Though his tone expressed annoyance, she couldn't help but notice the smile on his handsome face as he bent down to help gather her things. He reached for the dropped math test paper and grimaced as he noted her score. "I can see you are studying as hard as ever."

Her heart told her in an instant who this young man had to be. Stung by his remark, she replied brusquely, "Well at least I'm _trying_, Mamoru-san."

"You'll have to try harder than that if you want to graduate with the rest of your class."

There was something about him that both infuriated and captivated her. She quickly stuffed her textbooks back into the bag and snatched the test from his hand. "Don't worry about me! I'm doing just fine!"

Mamoru chuckled and began to walk away. She glared at him as he left. But as she continued on, she couldn't help but glance back at the young man who was to become Usagi's future husband. _'He really is cute!'_

Arriving home, her mother met her in the hallway, smiling expectantly. "Dinner's almost ready, Usagi-chan. But first, how did you do on your test?"

Ayame cringed as she slowly turned over the paper. "I tried, Mama. I'm sorry."

Tsukino Ikuko sighed as she read the not-unexpected result. "Your father and I were hoping for a better grade from you this time" she said quietly. She handed it back. "After you eat, I expect you to go to your room and stay there until all of today's homework is finished. Is that understood?"

Ayame nodded glumly just as her brother stuck his head around the corner, a huge grin on his face. "Failed another one, Usagi-chan?"

"Shut up, Shingo."

. . . . .

"You have reached the Hikawa Jinja. How may I help you?"

"May I speak to Rei-chan, please?"

"Konbanwa Usagi-chan! Of course you may" Yuuichirou replied. "Rei-chan is in her room. Just a minute, I'll go get her for you." A few moments later, Akako picked up the phone. "I thought you weren't going to call, Usagi-chan. It's getting late."

"Mama made me finish all my homework before I could use the phone. Sorry."

"How was dinner with the family?" Then she added in a whisper, "Does anyone suspect you?"

"So far so good. I haven't seen Papa yet, he's working late all week. You know, it may sound strange but I'm getting used to living here a lot more easily than I thought I would."

"Me too. The shrine seems so familiar. It honestly does feel like home now. But I have more bad news to tell you" Akako said. "Ami called me a little while ago on my communicator. By the way, did you find yours?"

"Hai. It was in the top drawer of my writing desk. I was afraid to use it in case Ami or Makoto could listen in."

"That's a good idea" Akako agreed. "I found my henshin pen too, it was in a pocket of my school uniform." She continued, "Anyway, Ami told me that she's been studying the youma attacks, looking for some kind of pattern. She believes she has discovered one."

"Oh? What did she find?"

"She said that ever since the youma began showing up in Tokyo, there has never been less than three or more than five days between attacks. Which means, if they keep to the same schedule, the next one could happen anytime between now and the day after tomorrow at the latest."

"Wonderful" Ayame groaned. "Rei-chan, I've been thinking. Maybe the best thing to do is to tell the others about us. We could talk to them tomorrow after school."

"We can't do that, Usagi-chan! They're counting on us. We're supposed to be Sailor Senshi, we _can't_ let them down. Not to mention the fact that you are the center of it all, the Moon Princess they have vowed to protect at all cost. Even though" she added, "they don't know you are Serenity yet."

"But I'm _not_ the Moon Princess, Rei-chan! And what if we can't transform? Mercury and Jupiter alone may not be enough to fight off a youma. They could be hurt or even killed!"

"If we can't, the other girls will be on their own anyway." Akako thought for a moment. "How about we meet somewhere tonight, somewhere quiet, and try to henshin. If that doesn't work, maybe then we should tell the others."

Ayame checked her watch. "Is an hour from now ok, at the park between your shrine and my house? We can try it there."

"That would be fine" Akako agreed.

"One other thing is bothering me as well, Rei-chan."

"Like I said before, Usagi-chan, try not to worry. We'll stick together and find a way out of this mess. Somehow."

"It's not that. I was just wondering... if we are here, then where are the _real_ Usagi and Rei?"

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Do you think they'll show up?"

The phone went silent for a moment. "No, I don't think so. As far as everyone else is concerned, _we_ are the real Usagi and Rei. So we'll have to do our very best to be them."

"I'll try. Then I'll meet you at the park. Beside the lake, near where they rent the rowboats."

"Ok. See you there."

Ayame hung up the phone and went back to her bedroom. Still in her school uniform, she walked up to the vanity and stood in front of its mirror. She stared at the intricate brooch, softly glittering in the light as it sat centered in her bright red bow. Unlike the plastic version used in the musicals, it was somewhat heavier and possessed a level of fine detail far more exquisite then that of the simple costume props she had worn on stage. For an instant she was tempted to try transforming right then and there, but not knowing if she would be discovered by her family, she relented. 'We'll know soon enough' she thought, crossing her fingers for luck.

. . . . .

It was nearly time for Ayame to leave for the park when a faint scratching noise came from outside her closed bedroom door. Puzzled, she stood and walked over, twisting the handle. Pulling the door open just a little, she peered through the gap but didn't see anyone in the hallway. Glancing down, she found a cat sitting near the base of the door, an upturned crescent moon symbol prominently centered in the dark fur of its forehead. It looked up at her expectantly.

_'This wasn't part of the musicals!'_ Ayame gasped inwardly. Not quite sure what to do next, she swung the door open and the cat padded into her room, leaping gracefully onto the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Ayame quickly closed her bedroom door and turned to face her unexpected visitor. Other than the moon pattern in its fur, the cat looked much like any other as it sat in the center of her bed, briefly stroking its face with a paw. _'Now what?'_ Ayame pondered. 'Do I talk to it?' She felt silly at the thought, surely even in this strange reality cats can't talk. Even a cat with a crescent moon on its forehead.

She decided to ignore the animal and checked her watch again. It was time to leave if she was going to meet Akako at the appointed hour. She placed her hand on the door handle, only to freeze in utter shock as a high-pitched voice asked, "Going somewhere, Usagi-chan?"

Ayame's hand trembled on the knob. Summoning every ounce of composure she could muster, she replied "Ah, yes Luna. I'm supposed to meet Rei-chan in twenty minutes. Its... its a personal matter."

Luna jumped off the bed and walked toward her. "Mind if I tag along?"

The young Sera Myu actress hesitated.

The cat looked up at the blonde girl. "I just came back from a visit with Ami-chan. She said she has found a pattern to the Dark Kingdom attacks."

"Yes, I know. Rei told me about it."

Luna sounded pleased. "Good. You're finally beginning to take Senshi business more seriously, Usagi-chan. Now if you would only do the same with your schoolwork."

_'I can't let her follow me!'_ Ayame panicked. She stalled for time as she tried to think of a way to go out alone. "Don't you have... uh... some cat things to do, Luna?"

"Usagi-chan, as your guardian it's my responsibility to look after your best interests. I can't do that very well if I always stay here, now can I?"

Realizing that the stubborn feline was determined to accompany her, Ayame changed her plan. "Luna, I think I can find out what I need to know over the phone after all. I'll go call Rei-chan instead."

"Oh? Well in that case, I'll get some sleep if you don't mind." Luna leapt back onto the bed and curled up in a corner, closing her eyes.

Ayame bolted downstairs, her long golden tresses streaming behind in her wake, and hurriedly called the shrine. Akako answered at once. "What's up, Usagi-chan? I was just heading out."

"The meeting's off."

"What? Why?"

"Luna is here. She wanted to go with me."

"Luna? _As in, Luna the cat?_ You have got to be kidding!"

"No, Rei-chan. She's real, just like in the anime."

"_Oh!_ Well... then I guess we'll have to postpone our little experiment."

"I'll meet you tomorrow after school. We can come up with a new plan then."

"This situation is getting worse every minute!" Akako exclaimed.

. . . . .

Haruna-sensei stood up from behind her desk as the lunch bell sounded, accompanied by a few faint cheers from Ayame's classmates at the back of the room. "Everyone, this afternoon we'll be starting on chapter nine in your English language book. Please keep your classroom tidy and remember to throw away any loose trash before lunch break is over." She walked out of the room as her students pushed books aside to make room for their meals. Several scattered clumps of teenagers formed around the room as they began chatting amongst themselves.

Makoto strolled over to Ayame, her lunch box in hand. "Here, Usagi-chan. Try one of these and tell me what you think." She offered her friend a dumpling from her meal.

"Arigato!" Ayame used her chopsticks to carefully remove one from the box and took a bite. "Mako-chan, these are fantastic!"

"I thought you'd like them" Makoto grinned. "It's a secret recipe that I just invented last night."

Another female student with reddish hair walked up to Ayame's desk and greeted them. "Hi girls."

"Would you like one too, Naru-chan?" Makoto offered.

"No thank you, Makoto-chan. I'm not really hungry today anyway. Not after what happened yesterday."

"What's wrong, Naru-chan?" Ayame asked, relieved that Makoto had unknowingly identified this new face for her.

"Mama's jewelry store was robbed last night."

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did you lose much?"

Osaka Naru shook her head. "That's the strange thing. Whoever broke in didn't steal the really expensive stuff. They only took a few old crystals that Mama wasn't even selling. They were just there for decoration in a display case. It's really weird."

"That is odd" Makoto agreed, giving Ayame a knowing glance. "I hope your mother's insurance will cover any damage."

A boy with round, thick glasses walked up and stood beside Naru. "If you need any help locating the thief, I'd be honored to use my super tracking skills to find the burglar for you, Naru-chan."

Naru laughed. "Umino-chan, you have enough trouble catching the right bus in the morning. How could you ever find a real burglar?"

Umino ignored the sarcasm. "Have no fear, Naru-chan! Master Detective Gurio Umino is on the case!" He stood at rigid attention and gave the girl a sloppy salute.

Naru groaned. "Why do I get the feeling this will end in disaster!"

"Usagi-chan, after we eat, how about we go outside for a little air?" Makoto asked. "We have plenty of time. Maybe we can even catch Ami-chan sneaking glances at Urawa Ryo again!" She sighed. "I remember _my_ first crush like it was only yesterday..."

. . . . .

Ayame bounded up the shrine steps after enduring a somewhat better day at Juuban Junior High. She spotted Akako and Yuuichirou standing near an overflowing garbage bin and arrived just in time to hear the end of their conversation. Akako was still dressed in Rei's TA Private Girls School uniform and seemed visibly upset at the older teen.

"I'm really sorry, Rei-chan. I'll take care of it right away."

"You'd better, or Ojiisan will get mad at you again!" Akako fumed. "What are you thinking about anyway, always daydreaming so often?"

Yuuichirou blushed. "Uh, nothing really, Rei-chan. Let me clean this mess up for you." After nodding a greeting to Ayame he hurried off to find a new trash bag.

"Trouble with the help, Rei-chan?"

Akako pointed angrily at the bin. "Yuuichirou _is_ a nice guy but he can be lazy at times. Just look at this mess!"

"I'm impressed, Akako-chan. You're really getting into Hino Rei's character."

Akako frowned. "Character? What on earth are you babbling about, Usagi-chan?"

Ayame stared at her friend in shock. _"Nani?"_

A hand touched Ayame's shoulder, causing her to gasp. "Konnichiwa, Usagi-chan!" She spun around to find Rei's grandfather grinning up at her. He asked, "How are you today?"

"Oh! I'm fine, Hino-sensei."

The diminutive old man gestured wordlessly toward the trash. Akako nodded, "It's being taken care of, Ojiisan."

"Very good. We don't want our shrine getting a reputation as an unclean place." The Shinto priest nodded approvingly at his granddaughter and walked away, clasping his hands behind his back.

When he was out of earshot, Akako breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close, Usagi-chan. Please try to stay in character from now on, ok?"

"Sorry. Whew, for a second there, I thought you forgot who you really are."

"No chance of that. Let's go inside. It's just the two of us today, we can talk more openly about our next move." Akako glanced upward as two crows sitting high in a nearby elm tree cawed sharply. She shook her head. "I still have trouble believing this is happening to us!"

Inside, the girls took their now-familiar places at the table after Akako ensured the hallway was empty and the door slid tightly closed.

Ayame dropped her book bag beside her on the floor and sat down. "You were awfully mean to Yuuichirou, Rei-chan. After all, I think we both know what he's daydreaming so much about."

"I know, he has a crush on me. I mean, a crush on Hino Rei. This is so complicated! Anyway, I don't have time to chase after boys right now. We have more important things to worry about first."

"Ha!" Ayame giggled. "You said _first!_ Does that mean you do have feelings for Yuuichirou?"

"I hardly know him, Usagi-chan! If we survive this, then I'll worry about romance and relationships." Akako quickly changed the subject. "Now that Luna is around, it's going to make our lives a lot more complicated."

"We still have to try transforming before it's too late. Every minute that passes brings us closer to the next Dark Kingdom attack."

"I know that. But that's only part of the problem. Even if a miracle happens and we can become Sailor Senshi, I'm not even sure we'll be able to use our new powers properly while some horrible monster or Dark Kingdom Shitennou is trying to kill us. We may just panic and freeze."

Ayame blurted, "If we do become Senshi, we'll just have to hope that summoning an attack is as easy as Usagi and Rei made it seem in the anime. What other choice do we have? It's not like you're going to chase a youma away by singing 'Honoo no Messenger' at it!"

Despite the seriousness of their predicament, Akako laughed. "I always loved doing that song." She thought for a moment about happier days, the friendships formed with other cast members and the applause of an appreciative audience as they performed at the Sunshine Theater in Ikebukuro.

The very real dangers of what they were facing brought Akako's mind back to the present. She leaned forward, pressing her long slender fingers against the table. "Here's what we do. You have to find some way to get away from Luna for a while, it doesn't matter how. Lock her in your room, tell her Makoto wants to see her, anything to keep her busy. Then we can go to the park and find out once and for all if we can become Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars."

"How about now?"

"The park will still be too crowded. We have to wait until later tonight. Same time as we planned before, ok?"

Ayame nodded. "Let's do it" she replied, but her voice wavered with uncertainty. A new thought suddenly popped into her head. "Rei-chan, do you think there's any chance Sailor Venus will show up? Another _real_ Sailor Senshi would make things a lot better."

Akako shook her head. "I was hoping for that too, but from what I remember from the manga and anime, it's still far too soon for Venus. It will be just the four of us, Usagi-chan." She thought of the closeness she now felt toward Ami and Makoto, and was saddened by the extra risk to her new friends if she and Ayame could not transform. "Or maybe... just two."

Ayame took a deep breath. _'I hope the Sailor Senshi are still around to meet Minako when she finally does appear.'_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

As Ayame stood and excused herself from the dinner table, her brother reached up, feigning an exaggerated look of concern as he touched his palm to her forehead. "Usagi-chan, are you sick? Do you have a fever?"

"No. I feel fine, Shingo-chan. _Why?_" Suspecting he was up to something, Ayame glared at the young boy.

"Are you really sure? You're leaving the table and there's still some food left! Are you sure you're not dying or something?" Shingo smirked back at his older sibling.

_"Mama!"_ Ayame wailed.

Well used to the rivalry, Ikuko replied from the sink without turning around, "Shingo-chan, stop teasing your sister. Usagi-chan, pass me your dirty dishes. Both of you, go finish your homework."

Ayame was surprised to find that her appetite had increased noticeably since she had awakened in Usagi's life, though she had not seemed to gain even an extra ounce. So many things about this world of fantasy-come-true puzzled her, and yet as the hours passed she felt oddly comfortable in the role. 'It's almost like I was destined to be Usagi' she mused as she walked upstairs.

As she neared her open bedroom door, she mentally rehearsed one last time what she had planned to tell Luna, hopefully sending the cat on a wild goose chase to Makoto's apartment. But annoyingly, Luna was nowhere to be found. Ayame changed into casual clothes, making sure to keep the brooch with her. Instead of using the writing desk, she stretched out comfortably on her bed as she began work on her math homework.

Frustration quickly began to set in as she struggled through the geometry questions. 'Why are these stupid problems so hard? Math was an easy subject for me when I was... I was...' The pencil dropped from Ayame's hand onto the bed, temporarily forgotten. _'What is my real name?' I'm not Tsukino Usagi!'_

A wave of panic washed over the teenage girl. Her eyes frantically scanned the room, trying to find something that would snap her memory back into order. Finally she spotted a small stack of well-worn manga on a shelf. 'Manga... anime...' The memories suddenly came flooding back. 'I'm Miyako Ayame! I work as a performer in Sera Myu musical productions. I play the character Tsukino Usagi. _How could I forget that?'_

Ayame breathed a huge sigh of relief. 'Living in this place is making me forget who I really am!' Deciding she needed a short break from the frustration of her studies, Ayame slid over to the edge of the bed, reaching toward the shelf for one of Usagi's manga. She paused as a small velvet-covered box partially hidden by the books caught her attention. 'What's this?' Curious, she picked up the mysterious container and sat upright. Releasing the catch, she slowly lifted its lid. A gasp escaped her parted lips.

Inside, a star-shaped locket in yellow lunar gold lay carefully nestled in soft padding. Ayame instantly realized 'This must be Usagi's gift to Mamoru when they lived back in the time of the Moon Kingdom! The same locket Takishido Kamen lost while protecting Sailor Moon from an attack at a cemetery! _Oh, it's so beautiful!'_

For a moment, Ayame thought she should close the box and return the treasure to its shelf. '_This is too personal!_ It's a symbol of Usagi's love for Mamoru!' Her fingers hesitated, then reached out and gently caressed its smooth upper surface. 'I really shouldn't...' But she simply could not resist. Carefully removing the gilded locket from its case, she opened its top cover with almost reverent care.

Music-box notes began to play a slow, soft tune, a song as old as the Moon Kingdom itself. Within the face of the locket, a golden clockwork crescent moon began moving once more on its eternal orbit around the center of the ancient gift, just as Princess Serenity's love for Prince Endymion had made him the center of her life so very long ago.

A tear ran down Ayame's cheek as the song she knew as Moonlight Densetsu filled the air with its gentle, almost haunting refrain.

. . . . .

At the Mizuno residence not far away, Ami reached for a fresh sheet of note paper and returned her attention to the open textbook in front of her. Though she preferred to commit most of her studies to memory, she would occasionally write down more complicated concepts for later review. She was doing just that when a soft beep came from a corner of her desk where her Mercury computer sat.

The petite blue-haired girl quickly flipped the device open and viewed the result of its latest calculations with concern. Activating her communicator, she signaled for Makoto to reply. Fifteen seconds later, Makoto's face appeared on its screen, a smudge of rice flour adorning one cheek. "Ami-chan! Sorry I took so long to answer. I was in the kitchen."

"Working on another new recipe, Mako-chan?"

"You know me, Ami-chan. Always trying new things! So, what's going on?"

Ami's face on the view screen appeared troubled. "I just received more results from my measurements of that purple cloud from the last youma attack. Something new and possibly very dangerous has surfaced."

"Oh?" Now it was Makoto who looked worried. "What did you learn?"

"Apparently, the cloud was more than just a normal youma attack. My Mercury computer detected traces of transdimensionality in it."

"Could you put that in simpler terms, Ami-chan? I'm no rocket scientist!"

"Gomen nasai, Mako-chan. Basically, the cloud tries to form a link between a person's brain and someone or something in another distant place or even another dimension. It seems to be some form of mind control. Perhaps the Dark Kingdom is attempting to take over their victims thoughts and directly control their actions. I'm sorry I don't have more information yet."

Makoto pondered the idea and replied with a frightening thought. "Ami-chan, what if the Dark Kingdom is trying to divide the Sailor Senshi? Usagi and Rei were closest to the youma when it released the cloud. If they can turn Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars against us, that spells big trouble. Do you think there's a chance it affected them?"

"I'm still not sure. Mako-chan, have you noticed any difference in Usagi or Rei since the attack?"

"No... nothing really. They seem just fine to me."

"They both seem completely normal to me, too" Ami agreed. "Maybe it would affect them only while they are in their Senshi form. Or... perhaps my data is wrong. I'll have to study it further." She apologized, "Sorry to bother you."

Makoto smiled. "No trouble at all! I'm glad you told me, Ami-chan. I think we'll have to keep a close eye on Usagi and Rei when the next youma appears and they transform."

"That's an excellent idea, Mako-chan. Meanwhile, enjoy your cooking experiments!"

"I always do!" her brown-haired friend laughed. Makoto's picture faded from the communicator's screen as the girls ended their chat. Ami returned to her studies, but her brilliant mind kept working on this new and disturbing find.

. . . . .

In a special area near the center of Hikawa Jinja, a teenage girl dressed in white miko kimono and pleated red hakama knelt solemnly before the sacred fire. Pushing her long raven-black hair back over her shoulders, Akako closed her eyes, calmed her breathing and took a moment to clear her mind. Finally she felt ready and brought her hands together. Her fingers moved in a complex dance, forming symbols as she chanted the kuji. She had done this many times before, but only in her Sera Myu performances and never with the level of seriousness she had now.

She knew there was only the tiniest of chances that anything would come of the exercise. The young actress was never a miko, had never worked in a Shinto shrine, and did not possess the psychic powers of Hino Rei. But she was determined to at least try.

Akako asked the flame to reveal a way out of her predicament, to show her a path home for herself and Ayame. Taking her time, she carefully repeated the ritual made famous by a girl she once thought existed only in fiction.

But the revelation she had hoped for would not come. The flames kept their secrets, revealing nothing to the teenage girl. After nearly an hour at the fire, a disillusioned Miyamoto Akako slowly stood and headed for her bedroom to change. The hour of her attempt to become Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Mars was nearly at hand.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

"Umino-chan, why are you dragging me out here?" Naru grumbled. "And did I tell you how ridiculous you look right now?"

Her companion paused to push his slipping glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Gesturing toward a park directly ahead with the oversized magnifying glass he held, he replied "Naru-chan, criminals don't usually keep their stolen property with them after the theft. The crystals are too hot right now. This park isn't far from your mother's jewelry store, and there's an excellent chance he hid them somewhere inside the park until the police stop looking for them."

Naru was unimpressed. "You've been reading too many cheesy detective novels, Umino-chan! And besides, it's just a bunch of dumb crystals, not the Hope Diamond!"

"The value of the theft isn't the issue" Umino insisted, emphasizing his point with a raised index finger. "If he can steal crystals one day, he could come back for your more expensive things later."

"Umino-chan, the police are already looking for the thief."

"Yes, but not here."

"They're not looking here because it's a really stupid place to hide things!" Naru looked sternly at the boy. "You're not using this as an excuse to take me to the park, are you? This isn't a date, you know!"

Umino grabbed Naru's hand and began dragging her toward the nearest entrance. "Let's go, Naru-chan! Time is of the essence!"

. . . . .

Akako slid open the closet door, impressed by the style and sheer quantity of clothing Rei had collected. 'She certainly has an eye for fashion!' Akako mused. Selecting a short charcoal-black skirt and teal top, she skipped over Rei's collection of stylish sandals and elegant stiletto-heeled pumps and instead slipped on a pair of nearly-new running shoes. One last check to make sure the all-important henshin pen was safely nestled in her small purse and she left the miko's bedroom. Outside, Rei's grandfather stood just beyond the shrine entrance where he chatted with several high school girls.

"I'm going out for a walk, Ojiisan. I won't be too long."

"Fine. But please be careful, Rei-chan. And if you happen to see Yuuichirou anywhere, tell him to get back here. He still hasn't finished his daily chores yet."

"I will, Grandfather." She gave the old man a quick peck on the cheek and headed down the steps of the Hikawa Shrine toward the park.

. . . . .

Keeping watch for any sign of her meddling guardian cat, Ayame was also heading toward her rendezvous with Akako. She turned a corner only to see Chiba Mamoru standing across the street, talking to a young woman. For some unexplainable reason she suddenly felt deep pangs of jealousy. At first she decided to ignore them but her feet thought otherwise, and she found herself quickly crossing the street and walking up to the couple.

Mamoru spotted her and grinned. "Well hello, odango atama! Shouldn't you be at home studying for your next test?"

"My study habits are none of your business, Mamoru-san!" Ayame turned to the girl standing near Mamoru and waggled a finger, warning her, "You really shouldn't speak to rude people like him!" The girl looked back at her with a puzzled expression and Ayame suddenly realized the other girl wasn't Japanese.

"Usagi-chan, this young lady is from America. She doesn't speak our language very well and was asking me for directions to her hotel." Mamoru watched with amusement as Ayame's face reddened.

"Oh, I'm very sorry!" Embarrassed, she bowed to the gaijin tourist.

Mamoru finished giving the stranger directions in English and politely bowed to the young woman as she thanked him and left. He turned his attention back to the blonde. "So, where are you headed in such a hurry this evening, Usagi-chan?"

"For your information, I'm going to the park" Ayame replied, uneasiness in her voice.

"The park? What a coincidence, that's where I was going."

"_You can't!_ I mean... you shouldn't..."

"We can walk there together." Mamoru gestured ahead. "After you."

Ayame's heart sank. _'Now what am I going to do?'_

_. . . . ._

Overlooking the shimmering waters of a lake that backed onto the park grounds, Kamada Yuuichirou sat quietly on a bench near a small dock. He watched as a young couple floated toward the shore in their rental boat, the girl smiling and talking excitedly with her boyfriend as the teenage male carefully eased the rowboat up to its berth. _'How I wish that was Rei-chan and me!'_ he pined, as the young man took his companion's hand and helped her out of the tiny vessel.

Sighing audibly, his own hand absently reached for his face, only to annoy him as he felt a slight stubble on his chin. "I really should shave more often" Yuuichirou mused, but his thoughts quickly drifted back to dreams of the beautiful raven-haired shrine maiden he had fallen deeply in love with at first sight.

. . . . .

"Oh, look at the cute little kitty!" a woman exclaimed. "And out here all alone too. Are you lost?"

Trying hard to keep her dignity, Luna ignored the passer-by and continued on toward the tree line. She found the quiet tranquility of the nearby park a welcome relief from Usagi's antics, and she needed a little time alone just now to ponder the Dark Kingdom's latest plan, and the disturbing information Ami had just given her. But even among the trees the interruptions continued. A boy and girl came tramping noisily through the wooded area, pausing every now and then as the pair she recognized as Usagi's schoolmates stopped to let the boy peer at something through a huge magnifying glass. _'What on earth are they up to?'_ Luna muttered. 'I can't find peace anywhere today!'

. . . . .

Nearing the park entrance, Ayame admitted to herself that she felt comfortably warm and safe beside the eighteen-year-old who strolled along beside her. She stole another furtive glance at Mamoru as she thought of the boundless love he had once held for Princess Serenity, a love that would soon blossom again in Usagi's tender heart. The glance lingered a little longer than she had intended and he returned her gaze, his eyes sparkling mischievously in the evening light. They entered the park together as twilight neared, and Ayame decided that accidentally meeting him today wasn't such a bad thing after all.

. . . . .

Akako spotted her Grandpa's helper sprawled on a bench near the boathouse, head tilted down and eyes nearly closed. 'Daydreaming again!' she muttered. 'Well, I'll put a stop to that!' Walking up behind the boy, Akako stood quietly looking at him. Despite his somewhat shaggy appearance and occasional lazy ways, she had to admit that he did hold a certain appeal to her. Shaking her head to clear the thought, she spoke sharply to the daydreaming teen.

_"Yuuichirou-chan!"_

_"Aagh!"_ He sprang to life at the sound, nearly leaping out of the seat. "Rei-chan! What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing! Do you know that Grandfather is looking for you?"

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan. I guess my break lasted a little longer than it should have."

She was about to further scold the young apprentice when Ayame's voice interrupted her. "Oh what do I see here?" her friend hinted coyly as she walked up. "Could it be Rei-chan and Yuuichirou-chan out on a date?" Ayame was accompanied by a handsome male companion, whom Akako correctly assumed to be Chiba Mamoru.

A silly grin covered Yuuichirou's face, only to fade away at Akako's reply. "No, we're _not_ on a date!" Akako spluttered. "Grandpa is looking for him, and I just found him loafing here on this bench." She regarded Ayame with amusement. "Maybe it's _you_ who's on a date, Usagi-chan!"

"A date? Me?_ With Mamoru-san? Ha!_" Yet Ayame felt incredibly guilty at the harshness of her denial. Her voice softened, "He insisted on escorting me here, that's all."

"I guess I'd better get back to the shrine before he throws my belongings out on the street" Yuuichirou said glumly. He reluctantly said goodnight to the newly-arrived couple and after another brief but heartfelt apology to Akako, scurried off to face the wrath of Hino-sensei.

"Well, we're here" Ayame said to Mamoru. "Thank you for the walk. It was... very sweet of you."

"It was my pleasure, odango atama."

_"Ohh!_ Just when I try to be nice to you, you have to go and call me mean names!"

"You're absolutely right, Usagi-chan." Mamoru nodded to her surprise. "I do apologize. Well, I hope you have a wonderful evening. And you too, Rei-chan." Ayame opened her mouth to defend herself against another unpleasant remark, but was left speechless at the young man's sincere reply. She stood staring at him as he walked away.

"You're a lucky girl, Usagi-chan" Akako teased as Mamoru disappeared from sight. "Your boyfriend is quite the hunk."

"First of all, Mamoru is _not_ my boyfriend! Second, he's not Usagi's boyfriend either. At least not yet. And third," her long hair bounced and swayed wildly as she yelled at Akako, jealousy rearing up within her again, "he's spoken for! You can just forget about him!"

"Usagi-chan, keep your voice down!" Akako cautioned. "Anyway, I'm only kidding. I know he's destined to be your future love."

"You had better be kidding!" Ayame surprised herself at her outburst and she blushed. "Sorry, Rei-chan." Calming herself, she remembered the locket she had found earlier. A note of sadness crept into her voice. "Anyhow, his heart belongs to someone else, not to me."

Akako laughed, upsetting her friend further. "What's so funny?" Ayame demanded.

"Let's suppose we're trapped here forever. Then you will be Tsukino Usagi forever. Which would make him your boyfriend. And eventually, your husband!"

_"What?_ Well that's not... I don't think.. _Rei-chan, you're really annoying!_" But Akako didn't miss the tiny smile that briefly flitted across her blonde friend's face.

. . . . .

"Let's go this way, Usagi-chan. There's a secluded place over behind those trees. Did you bring your brooch?"

Ayame nodded, her earlier courage fading fast. "I'm scared, Rei-chan. Maybe trying to henshin will hurt us."

"Not as much as a youma would" Akako replied grimly. The two girls eventually found a small clearing well hidden from the pedestrian paths and glanced around nervously. Streetlights around the park flickered on as the late-day sun sank behind a distant building, forming long shadows in the streets of Tokyo.

Ayame removed the brooch from her pocket and held it tightly in her trembling right hand.

"I... I can't do this! Rei-chan, you go first. Please!" she pleaded.

"Don't be such a baby, Usagi-chan! We both know that the brooch is very powerful. I'm sure it will compensate for your inexperience with it. Besides, you're the leader, I think you should be first."

"Well... ok." Ayame extended her arm, raising the brooch above her head. "Here goes." She swallowed, her mouth dry, and hesitated once more.

_"Get on with it!"_ Akako hissed.

"MOON PRISM-" Ayame abruptly stopped as the terrified scream of a girl rang out from somewhere not far away. She gasped in fright, _"What was that?"_

From beneath the trees a small dark shape came bounding directly toward the girls. Ayame and Akako froze as it neared, only to realize the rushing form was a cat. Luna halted in front of her charges. "Usagi-chan! Rei-chan! A youma has appeared near the lake! Henshin now!"

_"We can't!"_ Ayame confessed with a sob. "We're not real Sailor Senshi. We only perform as them. _We're just actresses!"_

"Of course you can!" Luna insisted. She explained quickly, "Ami told me about the strange cloud you were both exposed to. She just discovered that the cloud has the power to alter your minds and make you forget your past. You only _think_ you are other people because the Dark Kingdom took copies of the minds of two similar girls from some other dimension and replaced your memories with theirs!"

Naru's voice wailed pleadingly from somewhere just beyond their sight. "Someone please help us!"

Another girl's voice promptly followed, that of a very close and dear friend. _"SHABON SPRAY!"_

Deep within Usagi's mind, a faint spark of remembrance suddenly awakened and grew. She nodded and raised her brooch once more, but this time without fear.

"MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE-UP!"

Beside her, a red henshin pen was also quickly lifted toward the darkening sky.

"MARS POWER, MAKE-UP!"

Glowing waves of pure energy flooded over and through the teenage girls as the uniforms of Sailor Senshi instantly materialized upon them. Usagi and Rei still held the minds of Ayame and Akako within theirs, and could sense the young actresses' feelings of utter astonishment as they experienced in reality what they could only pretend to do on stage.

Sailor Mars turned to the Senshi of the Moon. "Let's go get that thing!" Together, they ran toward a sheltering cloud of dense paralyzing mist that had crept between the trees, the product of Sailor Mercury's delaying attack.

. . . . .

Sailor Mercury smiled with relief to see her friends rush from the forest to join her in battle. She touched a blue ear stud, making her visor vanish after a hasty scan of the intruder. "That youma isn't a carrier of a rainbow crystal!" she exclaimed to them. "It can be destroyed!" In reply, the youma summoned a large crystalline sphere and hurtled it toward the girls. Its aim disrupted by Mercury's mist, the dangerous orb went wide, missing the Senshi and impacting the ground off to one side. With a loud crack, it shattered into thousands of lethally sharp shards.

Wasting no time, Mars brought the tips of her index fingers together, forming a sphere of blazing-hot plasma near the end of her protective white gloves.

_"FIRE SOUL!"_

The monstrous creature had been standing near Umino, who lay face-down and motionless in the grass, the twisted frame of his glasses resting nearby. It staggered back from the full force of Mars' blast, its spidery limbs now scorched to uselessness.

Sailor Moon looked with alarm at Umino's unconscious body and that of Naru who had fainted beside him.

"How dare you hurt these innocent people!" she yelled angrily at the beast. "In the name of the Moon, _I will punish you!_" She reached for her gold tiara before the youma could recover.

_"MOON TIARA ACTION!"_

The spinning weapon released a burst of energy as it struck the weakened youma, shattering it into a cloud of glassy fragments.

This battle now over, Sailor Mercury happily hugged her friends. "Usagi-chan! Rei-chan! Welcome back!"

. . . . .

Epilogue:

Usagi slyly looked left, then right before sneakily reaching for the last cake on the plate.

_"Usagi-chan!"_ Rei yelled, making her friend cringe. "Must you eat them all?"

"But I'm hungry! Studying is such hard work!"

"Learning can be a lot of fun too, Usagi-chan" Ami said. The other girls stared at Ami, causing a familiar blush to form. Her eyes quickly darted back down to the pages of her textbook.

Makoto asked, "So you and Usagi-chan lost your memories? That must have been frightening! So who did you think you were?"

Rei shrugged. "When we transformed back to normal, everything we experienced from that period completely faded away."

"Luna said you told her you were some kind of... actresses?"

"Maybe. I honestly don't remember anything from the last couple of days, before we fought that youma in the park."

"Oh?" A devilish grin appeared on Makoto's face. "That's too bad. Then I guess Usagi-chan doesn't remember the hot romantic date she had with Mamoru-san!"

The last daifukumochi cake sat frozen in front of Usagi's open mouth.

"I did _what?"_

. . . . . . . . . . . .


End file.
